ledbyfema. >>every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the state, that's the right direction. and you can go further and send it back to the private sector, that's better. >> aides appear to suggest that romney would maintain fema but states are in the best position to aid affected individuals and direct resources and assistance to where they are needed most. this includes help from the federal government and fema. >> would you eliminate fema? >> romney was asked a half dozen times if he would eliminate fema. >> you're doing a heck of a job. >> fema's image was badly damaged during hurricane katrina. >> romney supporters said they felt a possibility to do what they can to help. >> the right thing to do. >> he is very much on the gop's path to victory. >> surprising people up and down the coast. we eyre going one area inundated by water, leaving hundreds and hundreds of people calling for help. 5 iconic design. exhilarating performance. [ race announcer ] audi once again has created le mans history! [ male announcer ] and once i

helpfromfema, thefederal emergency management agency. the homeland security secretary, janet napolitano, who's in new york city, says that's only just the beginning. but many residents of staten island which was inundated by the storm's tidal surge, say they're getting virtually no help yet. and their desperation is now turning to anger. cnn's brian todd is on the island. he's joining us live. brian, tell us what's going on. >> reporter: wolf, we're in the new dorf beach section cedar grove avenue. this place is still flooded out even after the waters receded. people just barely able to kind of wade through the water, try to get to homes and assess damage. you've got a church that's flooded out here to your left, my right. and our photo journalist can pan back over this way down marine way. look down here with just the debris and people trying to gather things and bring things out and clear their homes of all the wreckage. what we know now, wolf, is that the bodies of two young boys who were washed away from their mother during the storm have been found. they were found in a

's the message he keeps conveying. and i should say also praisinghisfemadirectorwho has also gotten some praise from governor christie as well, wolf. >> governor christie has been very fusive in his phrase. as they head toward the microphones let's take a quick, quick break. on the other side we'll hear from the president. [ woman ] it's 32 minutes to go time, and the candidate's speech is in pieces all over the district. the writer's desktop and the coordinator's phone are working on a joke with local color. the secure cloud just received a revised intro from the strategist's tablet. and while i make my way into the venue, the candidate will be rehearsing off of his phone. [ candidate ] and thanks to every young face i see out there. [ woman ] his phone is one of his biggest supporters. [ female announcer ] with cisco at the center... working together has never worked so well. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 you know, the one that's been lying around. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 rollover your old 401(k) to a schwab ira, and we'll help you tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 find new ways to make yo

's a total loss. we have3,200femapersonnelworking this storm in the northeast. and more are on their way. 11,800 national guard already are deployed in the impacted states. and we expect more to come. as was mentioned, 258 red cross shelters have opened. nine federal search and rescue teams have been deployed, supplementing state and local efforts. and they have searched more than 3,300 structures in queens and 870 structures here in staten island. with respect to other assets that are coming in, we all know that power remains the fundamental issue. you should know that president obama has said that all of the federal government is here to help. and that means the department of defense. and the department of defense yesterday was air lifting utility crews with their equipment here to new york, to new jersey and other places impacted by the storm. and more of those air lifts we anticipate to be coming over the coming days. there's an 800 number people can call. 1-800-621-3362. 1-800-621-3362. you can go to disast disasterassistance.gov. or indeed if you go to a disaster recovery center, a

here. we need the city to step in. weneedfematocome and place people in housing. because you have children who lost everything. you have parents who are deaf state who are sitting in shelters. i was in a hurricane shelter, is-217. there were no showers and we were there for four days. >> reporter: you got your teenaged son out of here before the storm hit. >> right. i got him out because i didn't want him to be here in the devastation. >> and see all of this. >> sues onan also tells us the community groups are on the ground handing out hot food, clothing and water to held those storm victims in need. >>> it's the final three-day push to the finish line. we're waiting for president obama to take to the stage in iowa. you're looking at live pictures. we'll hear from the president. we're also going to hear shortly from one of the president's biggest supporters, his former white house chief of staff rom emanuel. ime ime and maybe it's costing too much money. introducing bluebird by american express and walmart. your alternative to checking and debit. it's loaded with features, not fee